Cyberpunk: Fatherhood

by RobinRounds

Car wrecked. Mom in the hospital. Bills are due. Desperation setting in. Our only chance is a number in mom's old holo records. It's listed as "Vinny - Emergencies Only!" I mean, fuck it, he can't make it worse for us. Right?

15. Chapter 15 - Simple and Clean

Gloria woke up and yawned, feeling like she had woken up from one of those rare days when she got a full eight hours of actually restful sleep. Sleeping in the hospital bed wasn't unpleasant. Actually, it was the second most comfortable bed she had ever slept on. But all of the tubes and wires that were plugged into her restricted just how much she could move and what positions she could sleep in. Indeed, Gloria was almost certain the only reason she had been able to sleep with everything stuck into her was because of the drugs.

But over the last few days, the doctors had been slowly unhooking her from the IVs. Removing wires and electrodes that were running over her in various spots, all of them now replaced with the wrist-mounted biomonitor her personal was plugged into. The final things to go had been the oxygen tube and saline drip – both taken off her just before she had gone to bed. Limited as her mobility still was, Gloria had enjoyed rolling onto her side as much as her injuries allowed, then to the other, without anything to stop her.

Letting out a content groan, Gloria took a moment to stretch. Her content groan turned slightly pained at the action, noting all of the aches and pains with the difficulty of the action. Sure, the doctors and nurses had warned her about it, but she hadn't expected to feel like someone had dipped her whole body in tungsten.

"Did I gain weight?" She muttered to herself, almost laughing at her own stupid joke as she sat up. Free of all tubes and wires, Gloria gently pulled off her blanket and studied her figure. The red-head could tell she had lost weight; her legs and arms weren't as toned as they had been while she worked as a street scraper. Part of it she knew was from the various surgeries, and the other part due to inactivity.

That was all going to change today, as the doctors had given her permission to move around on her own, but they didn't want her overexerting herself. Gloria flexed her legs, the casts now removed but both of them restricted in just how much they could move by new bracers. Once or twice, with help from a nurse and IV bags hanging from a walker, they had let her make the short walk from her bed to the bathroom a couple of times. Now however, Gloria felt certain she could make the walk herself.

While she didn't have anything she needed to do, Gloria didn't want to sit in bed all day. The walker sat next to her bed, effortlessly in arms reach, and Gloria shifted so that her legs were hanging over the side of the bed near the walker. Grabbing a hold of it, Gloria gritted her teeth through the pain and used it to raise herself to a standing position. A tiny dizzy spell hit her at the effort, but she pushed through it, determined to at least see the hospital she's in.

"No sense in sitting around." The red-head stood up, one hand holding herself level as another dizzy spell hit her. Once the effect faded, Gloria decided to start with her hospital room. The attached bathroom came with a counter top sink, mirror, and the toilet. A walk-in tub took up the other side of the bathroom, but she had yet to be able to use it. While in bed, her personal hygiene had been reduced to sponge baths and dry shampoo, and Gloria looked forward to when she could actually take a long soak.

The TV that faced her bed was mounted to the wall just outside of the bathroom, allowing one to hear what was playing even if they couldn't see it while doing their business. Other than the TV, the walls of her room were plain – there wasn't even a medical poster she could laugh at or paper copy of those 'patient rights' or 'notice of billing practices'. Indeed, the only thing to break up the remaining whitewashed wall was the sliding door to the room. She had seen it open more than a few times, but never bothered to ask or try to look at what was behind it.

"Twenty eddies on a bland and unsympathetic hallway." Her steps were halting, feet feeling like they were encased in cement shoes in addition to the tungsten dip her body took. Reaching out a hand, she tugged on the handle and pulled the door open, letting out a gasp at the sight to greet her eyes.

It was like looking into her apartment, but on a bigger scale. To the left of the door, a full-size daybed sat before another TV, serving as a couch or as a place for a guest to sleep. A small desk with a computer sat beside the daybed, available for both doctor and patient use. To the right, she could see a small dining table with two chairs, but space enough for one more or for a wheelchair to sit at the table comfortably. There was also a small kitchenette complete with a small fridge, two burner stove, microwave, sink, and even a dishwasher. The one thing to slightly distract from the 'apartment-like' feel were medical monitors, cabinets and other equipment scattered around the room. Sure, she had justified staying in the hospital as being similar to staying in a hotel, but she didn't think her hospital room was basically a luxury hotel suite.

"Have I just been sitting in the bedroom the whole time?" Gloria blinked, noticing that much of the room seemed undisturbed. That little piece of knowledge shouldn't have bothered her as much as it did. "Wait, has V been paying for all this unused space the whole time?"

"Good morning Miss Martinez."

The voice made Gloria jump, and it was only the thanks to fact she was still gripping her walker that she remained standing. She noticed then that one of the nurses was standing in the kitchenette, preparing a pot of coffee.

"I'm sorry if I startled you, ma'am." The woman turned, and Gloria was surprised to see she was barely older than herself. Her dark brown hair had been pulled back into a bun, and her skin had just the faintest hint of a tan. "My name is Nadia, and I've been assigned as your personal nurse. Would you care for a cup of coffee? And what would you like for breakfast?" Nadia held up the pot she had just brewed with a smile.

"Personal nurse?" Gloria moved into the 'dining' area of her room, ignoring the other questions. "Aren't you just here to take my vitals and give me my meds?"

"No dear. I mean, I do that too, but I'm also here to help care for you as you continue to recover." The brunette set the pot back down and moved to Gloria's side, helping her over to the table and then to sit down. "It's all part of your platinum package. Studies have found patients tend to heal better when allowed to recover in their own homes. However, for those who can't return home due to requiring specialized treatments, the platinum care package tries to recreate the comforts of home in the hospital environment."

Gloria just stared. She knew the platinum plan covered a ton of treatment options, but personal care?

"Yeah, get that look a lot when people find out about that part of the plan." Nadia laughed, "but it's true. Aside from the medical side, it's my job to make sure you are comfortable and have everything you need. Want to watch a certain movie that's not online? It's my job to find a copy for you. Old book? I head down to the library. Hell, want to watch an oddly specific fetish BD? Guess whose walkin' down to the sex shop."

That last one made Gloria laugh, something she quickly regretted as her torso reminded her that she was still far from recovered. "Ow...Is it time for my medicine yet?"

"Eh, close enough." Nadia made a show of glancing at her watch, "be right back with those."

Gloria gave a nod as the nurse took her leave, once more looking at her hospital suite. Though everything was varying shades of sterile white, it wasn't unpleasant to look at. Sure, Gloria would have preferred some color here and there but she wasn't going to argue. Maybe V or David would bring her some flowers, that would brighten up the room a bit. At the very least, they might help lessen the medicinal smell – something the freshly brewed coffee was doing a decent job of.

"Maybe I can get an air freshener at least? Or always have a pot of coffee available?"

Though she was still in pain, the smell of freshly brewed coffee was too loud a siren call for her to ignore. Grasping her walker, Gloria pulled herself off the chair and started shuffling towards the kitchenette. While part of her argued that she should wait until Nadia came back and asked her to get it (the woman had offered to do so earlier after all.) Another part of her wanted to get back in the habit of doing things herself. Gloria had barely made it into the kitchenette when Nadia returned with her morning medications in hand.

"Miss Martinez, what are you doing?" The medications and a syringe were placed on the table and Nadia was at her side in an instant.

"Getting coffee." She replied, trying to figure out where the cups were hidden. A process that was hindered by the fact she couldn't fully bend over to check the lower cabinets and couldn't reach the upper ones without pain. "Where..."

"Don't worry about it." Gloria felt Nadia's arm just barely touching her back, gently guiding her back to the table and to her seat. An understanding yet defeated sigh escaped Gloria as the brunette bade her to sit down. Picking up the syringe, she gently prepared Gloria's arm, distracting her by asking. "So how do you like your coffee? Just tell me and I'll prepare it for you."

"Do you understand what I mean if I say 'regular'?" A tiny hiss escaped Gloria as she felt the needle puncture her skin.

"Cream and sugar." Nadia set the empty syringe aside and started putting together the cocktail of pills Gloria had to take on the daily. "Enough to sweeten the brew but not overpower the taste of the coffee. Here, let me grab you some water to take these with."

Gloria watched as her nurse opened up the cabinet to sit above the coffee maker, revealing an assortment of dishes and cups. Unable to do much, Gloria watched as Nadia filled up a small tumbler with water, before proceeding to prepare a mug containing Gloria's preferred coffee mix.

"Here you are," the nurse set the water down first, making sure Gloria took her pills with it before placing down the coffee. Nadia opened her mouth to say more, but the sound of a door opening cut her off. Both Gloria and Nadia turned, seeing David standing in the door frame with an insulated bag in his hands. Behind him was V, holding a tray with three disposable travel cups on it.

"Hey Nadia, is Glo-" V paused, seeing her sitting at the table. "Well, somebody's feeling better."

"Mom!" David seemed younger than his seventeen years as he moved over to her side, a huge smile on his face. "You're up and moving again!"

"Not fully mijo. I wouldn't be sitting here if it wasn't for the walker and Nadia's efforts." She held her arms out for a hug, which David was quick to return. For a moment, her eyes flicked over to V, who was politely hanging back so mother and son could have a moment.

"Still, every time I've seen you, you've been in bed." Her son released her, but didn't pull away. "It's just a little surprising to see you sitting, and out in the open."

"Was it at least a nice surprise?" Gloria asked as David nodded, taking a sip from her coffee. Even if it wasn't the first cup she had had in nearly a month, the taste was that of the perfect cup. "Oh, that's the good shit."

"Yeah, just hope our surprise measures up." He held up the bag, before placing it on the table, "Brought you breakfast. Both food and coffee."

"Though looks like the coffee might not have been needed." V moved over to the pair, giving Gloria a hug and a quick peck on the cheek as David was distracted by unpacking the bag.

"Depending on the blend, she might not even be allowed to have it." Nadia eyed the Styrofoam containers David was removing. "Same goes for the contents of those containers."

"I already cleared it with the receptionist. Everything here is on the 'approved' list by Trauma standards." V sent something over to the nurse, and Gloria heard her hum as she reviewed the information. "Wagyu beefsteak, eggs, and shredded hash brown potatoes. All 'ganic, well, except for the eggs. Coffee's just your standard Colombian synth-blend."

He opened one of the containers, showing both women the contents. A large steak, tenderized and seared sat next to a large pile of golden fried hash browns. Two sunny side-up eggs rested on the steak, serving as a poor divider between it and the potatoes. There was even toast, and what appeared to be a small cup of berry preserves to top the toast. Given that the most solid things Gloria had been allowed to eat was oatmeal or rice, the sight and smell of real food had her mouth watering.

She turned an adoringly thankful smile towards V and David. "David. V. This looks amazing an-"

"I'm sorry, but Miss Martinez can not have all of this." The brunette shook her head, giving them an apologetic look.

"Excuse me?" The three said it together, and while her's was polite and David's unsure, V's was challenging. The reaction didn't seem to phase Nadia who had moved into the kitchen and back to the cabinet where the plates were stored.

"Apologies, I should have phrased that better." Nadia gave a tiny bow as she pulled a plate from the cabinet along with some cutlery. "All of the items, well – with the exception of the preserves, are cleared for Miss Martinez's consumption." The nurse returned to the table and set the plate adjacent to the open container. "She can not have them in this large a quantity."

"Can she at least save the extra for later?" V asked, looking just the tiniest bit offended as Nadia studied Gloria's food.

"Wait, why can't I have the preserves?" Gloria eyed the jellied fruits, the color telling her it was more than likely blueberry, her favorite.

"Because that particular kind is made with an artificial sweetener that interacts badly with your medications." Nadia answered Gloria first as she moved the preserves aside. "And the reason she can't eat it all now is because Miss Martinez is just coming off a near all-liquid diet. Her body needs to be reintroduced to solid foods slowly...Speaking of, how tough is this steak?" Nadia picked up a knife and cut into the meat, and Gloria saw it go through the piece like a hot knife through butter. "Damn, that's tender."

"Try a bite." V's tone hadn't changed, but his eyes were looking brighter as Nadia looked to her. Giving a nod of approval, the nurse popped a bite of the steak into her mouth and let out a pleased moan.

"Shit, pardon my language. Could probably suck this through a straw..." The knife went back to work, cutting the steak into three even portions, though only one went on the plate. One of the eggs was added, along with a piece of toast and a third of the hash browns. Satisfied, Nadia closed up the container and gave Gloria the plate she had prepared before tucking the leftovers into the fridge. The red-head looked at the plate, then over to V who nodded in reluctant approval. "I'll leave you to eat in peace m'am. I'll stop by again in an hour or two to check your vitals, alright?"

"Of course. Thank you Nadia." Gloria gave the other woman a smile as she ducked out of the room, leaving her alone with her family. She looked then to the containers V and David had, both of them filled with contents identical to hers. Much to her amusement, neither one of them had taken a bite. "What? Do you need a formal invitation? Eat."

"Want to see your reaction." V answered, a smile on his face. "Been awhile since we've had dinn-er, breakfast together. Especially something of this caliber."

Shaking her head just slightly as David nodded in agreement, Gloria picked up her fork and gently stabbed the yolk of the egg, breaking it open. Using the knife Nadia had left, Gloria cut off a piece of steak and dipped it in the egg before taking a bite. The nurse had been right; the steak practically melted in her mouth, and the egg added just the right amount of savory. She tried a bite of hash brown as a pallet cleanser, the spuds the perfect balance between soft and crispy.

"It's delicious." Much as she wanted to just dig in and devour the plate, Gloria knew her stomach would hate her. Opting to show a little more restraint, she took a sip of her coffee and decided to distract herself from eating by asking questions. "So David, how's it been living on your own? Throw any wild parties yet?"

"No mom, and its been nice." David answered, starting in on his own meal. "It's got everything. TV, pool table, kitchen..."

Gloria nodded as David listed off everything the apartment had to offer, amused at her boy's enthusiasm. She looked then at V, noticing him listening as well as David talked and told Gloria about the last few days. V told her a few stories of his own, while Gloria discussed the joy of being able to move around again – even if it only was within her suite.

"Just wish I could go outside." She frowned, noting that while her suite had a window, the view it provided was mostly obstructed. "But apparently I'm still restricted on where I can go on hospital grounds...And outside, even to the courtyard, doesn't count right now."

"Soon as the doctor gives the green light for you to go outside, David and I will come back with a picnic lunch." V placed a hand on her shoulder, the other gently wiping away a stray bit of potato at the corner of her mouth.

"Uh yeah," David swallowed the bite of food he had taken, seeming surprised. "We can get sandwiches from that place you like near our old apartment."

"If they're on the approved list." The older man rolled his eyes, and Gloria laughed as David did the same and echoed his words. Her boys shared a laugh afterwards, and Gloria couldn't help but join them. The sight was so domestic, so wholesome, that the red-head felt something bloom in her chest. It was the same warmth she had felt when V admitted to returning her feelings back then. The same one she had when she first held David. The same one she felt when she saw V again after all this time.

Bruised and broken as she was, Gloria would swear she never felt better.

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Breakfast had passed smoothly for the family, with the only interruption being Nadia's return with some information for David and V about what items were and were not acceptable for Gloria's consumption. The list mostly consisted of items in the fast food category, and several prepackaged process goods.

"So all the good food..." Gloria pouted as David read a couple of the items out loud after she had asked.

"No, the 'good food' is what we're eating now." V gestured to his container. "What they've banned is the processed crap you perceive as being good food."

"Then why are they allowing yikes tofu bars?" The red-head took a sip of her coffee, "Seriously. Those things are wet cardboard molded into a bar, lightly dried, and then sold as food."

"They're 'ganic." V gave her a sympathetic smile. "And they're easy on the stomach and easy to chew."

"I'll agree they're easy to chew...But otherwise, they're shit and sit like a rock in the stomach." She returned the expression a moment before both her and V started laughing. Gloria's laughter only grew as she noticed David rolling his eyes, face buried in his take away container as he tried to ignore their bantering. Being the playful mom that she was however, Gloria just had to try and pull him into the conversation. "You agree with me, right D?"

"...Can't talk, eating."

"You're nearly done." V lightly whacked the top of the container, making it fold down so that Gloria could see the few remaining bites within. "You can take a moment to answer your mother." His eyes lit up at that moment, "and I need a moment to take this call." V excused himself with a nod and left the room, leaving mother and son alone.

"Well?" Gloria prompted after a short moment, seeing that David's container was now empty and his excuse was no longer valid.

"While lacking in flavor..." David looked at his mother, thinking, "they do provide carbs and protein. And the caloric content of them does make them one of the more ideal 'meal replacement' options if you can't actually eat something more substantial." He placed a hand on his mother's arm. "So sorry mom, if you want a snack – it's tofu bars for you."

"Ugh, my own son turned against me." Gloria tried to look pained at his answer, but that quickly turned into surprise as she considered his words. "Wait, since when are you so smart about matters of nutrition?"

"Since, uh...V got me some tutors?" David answered, making Gloria's eyes narrow in suspicion.

"As David's not required to attend classes as part of the apprenticeship program, he was falling a little behind in his studies." V came back at that moment and answered her unspoken query. "Figured he could a little help and invested in some learning aids for him." He gave David a pat on the shoulder, "hoping it will help him out with the midterm coming up." V moved from David's side to Gloria's and gave her another kiss on her forehead. "Anyhow, I hate to eat and run but..."

"I understand." Gloria tried to return the kiss, but V moved just a little too quick. "David, if you need to go as well, that's fine."

["By the way, I hacked David's comms to be off...and told the crew there's a jammer up if they try to contact him."]

"Not really." Their child watched as V took his leave, something Gloria was thankful for as she was able to hide her smile at V's message. "I mean, Lucy or someone was gonna pick me up later at the apartment to meet with the crew to discuss a minor gig or two later but..." He shrugged.

"David, if you don't want to hang out in a hospital with your mom, I understand." Gloria sighed and turned away, struggling to maintain a frown. "My son is on the fast track to being both a successful suit and a big time merc. Of course he doesn't have the time to visit his mother."

Though she had said it playfully, Gloria heard the guilty sigh and the faint scuffing of her son's shoes on the tiled floor.

"Ah, no, mom...It's not like that." David whipped back around so fast, Gloria was amazed he hadn't pulled something.

"Oh relax, I'm only teasing." She looked back at her son, ruffling his hair affectionately. "I know you've been busy the last few weeks working with the crew. And now hearing that you've been studying as well? It makes sense."

"I still could have stopped by on my off days." He was looking at the ground, one hand gently rubbing his arm.

"True, but I'm sure you were out having fun with your new friends when you weren't working." Gloria smiled, thankful that David had been taken in by the crew and wasn't acting as much the 'lone wolf' he had been over the last few years. "So tell me. Maine and Falco pull you into a discussion about cars? Or have Becca and Pilar pulled you into their sibling rivalry? Or

"Does that rivalry include being challenged to beat their scores on the various arcade machines around Night City?" David had a lopsided grin on his face. "Seriously, did not know there was that many Roach Race, Panzer Shooter Extreme, and Cyber Gryphon cabinets in existence."

"Yeah, it does. But I was saying in general as they enjoy shooting, eating and drinking contests as well." Mother fixed her son with a hard gaze, "just don't participate in the sugar free Leelou Beans eating contest. No matter how much they beg, whine, or threaten."

"Huh? Why?"

"There's a small lap top on the table next to my bed, bring it to me." Gloria smiled as David moved to comply with her request, returning a moment later with the item. Adjusting herself, she motioned for David to move his chair over so they could both see the screen. While her mobility had improved a lot, it still took Gloria a little more time than she would have liked to find the video she wanted to show David.

"Sugar free bean challenge aftermath?" He read the title, and she nodded as she started the video playing. It was an old video that V had shown her a few times, and it never failed to make her laugh. Especially when the guy finally felt the side effects of having eaten two pounds of them. "Oh my...Mom! Why...Why would...you show, me this?"

David was wheezing in laughter, and Gloria had set off an alarm about her oxygen levels that Nadia had been quick to respond to. After checking that her patient was in order, Nadia helped her move to the daybed and took to cleaning up breakfast as Gloria and David continued to watch funny videos, laugh, and talk. It reminded her of how they used to hang out when David was little, something that she mentioned much to David's embarrassment.

"Long as the crew never sees me like this..." He frowned, but carefully shifted closer to his mom. "They'd never let me hear the end of it."

"Oh shush, they would think its cute." Gloria poked him in the arm.

"Maybe Lucy would..." David muttered, and Gloria perked up. "But everyone else? They'd probably vote me out of the crew for it."

"Falco, Maine, and Dorio would respect you. Kiwi would be indifferent." The red-head closed her eyes, thinking a moment. "It would probably be only Becca and Pilar who would tease you. Lucy might tease you a little too, but I've not really spoken with her much compared to the others."

David nodded, "but you've met her, right?"

"Only once, back when she first joined." Gloria looked away, trying to bait her son, "she seems really nice though."

"She is. Took me out to dinner as an apology for...Everything." David left it at that, and Gloria nodded.

"Wait. She took you out to dinner?" She let the mom sass out in full. "How modern."

"Well, I mean...I picked the place...and it didn't really matter in the end as Abuela comped our tab."

"Abuela?" The red-head was confused, as her own parents had long since moved out of Night City and David hadn't seen them since he was seven.

"Uh, Mama Welles...Jackie's mom." He explained how the woman had adopted V, and then him once they met. "She insisted on the informal titles. Probably will adopt you too if and when you meet in person..."

"She sounds like a very nice woman." Gloria laughed, "but I want to hear more about the date you and Lucy went on mijo."

"You've got the pictures. And there's...not much else to say. We had dinner, then went back to the apartment to watch movies." David couldn't seem to meet her eyes anymore. "We've hung out a few times since then."

"Just the two of you? Or with the crew?"

"Bit of a mix...but it's mostly been me and her? We've been having movie nights at my place. V's got a whole library of media we've been digging though an-"

"Your father still has his media vault?" She raised a hand, smiling as David nodded.

"Yeah. He's got all sorts of movies, music. Even found a couple audio books." Her son seemed to be vibrating in delight as he spoke of his father's collection. Though Gloria knew much of the contents, she couldn't help but laugh that David seemed to share V's taste when it came to movies. "...trying to get her to watch the Bushido series, but she doesn't seem interested. Might have to have a movie night with the guys, you know?"

"You could always compromise and in exchange for you and her having an action movie night, treat her to a rom-com chick flick night." She winked, "though why do I suspect you two don't actually watch the movies?"

"It's not like that!" David's ears had taken on a hint of color, foot tapping as he seemed to trying to find a way out of the conversation. "We do watch the movie. Not our fault we sometimes fall asleep."

"Is that what you kids call it nowadays?" Gloria pressed, seeing that David's ears were the same color as her hair and his face was quickly growing to match.

"N-n-no! Ugh, mom...It's not like that!" Her son was now hiding his face, shaking his head violently. "We're..." He hesitated, and Gloria knew he was trying to pick the right words to describe the relationship between him and Lucy that wouldn't lead to more teasing. Not that she didn't have something lined up for every possible answer but. "We're...dating, I guess?"

"You guess?" The new voice came from the door, and the pair turned to see Lucy standing just inside the entrance to Gloria's hospital suite. "God, you are too cute sometimes puppy."

"Puppy?" A whole new arsenal of mom teasing revealed itself to Gloria as her son groaned and slid off the daybed and onto the floor, hiding his face in embarrassment.

"Lucy!" David looked up at the white-haired girl as she moved over to where he had fallen. "Told you to only call me that in private. And definitely not if we were visiting mom!"

"And why is that, mijo?" Gloria had to admit her chest was starting to hurt from how hard she was trying to hold in her laughter at the situation.

"Because...Ugh, mom teasing..." He rose to a sitting position as Lucy gently nudged him with her foot.

"Oh shush, you'll miss me when I'm gone." Though Gloria meant it as a joke, she noticed how quick David's mood seemed to change at that comment. "But that won't be for a very long time given how well the doctors say I'm recovering." Despite her limited mobility, Gloria moved to where she could place a hand on David's shoulder. "So don't worry, alright mijo?"

"Alright mom." David's hand covered her own a moment, before he picked himself off the floor. "Wait, what are you doing here Lucy? Thought you were gonna get me at the apartment?"

"I was, stopped by there first." She answered, "I tried to message you a few times but got no response. I asked the crew if they had heard from you, and V said you went to visit Gloria. And that the reason I couldn't reach you is because there'ss a jammer up as some 'high security' client is currently being treated here."

"Oh, wondered why I hadn't heard anything...Wait, why are my comms off?" Gloria saw David's expression morph from guilty embarrassment to confusion. "Excuse me a moment. I uh, need to use the bathroom." Both women watched as David brushed himself off before moving to Gloria's bedroom.

"Is he always like that when it comes to his emotions?" Lucy asked after the two of them were alone. "Run off and hide or get defensive?"

"Only in recent years." Gloria patted the spot next to her, inviting Lucy to sit. "When he was a kid, he wore his heart on his sleeve. And though he tries to be tough now that he's older...Well, he still has his moments. Especially if you can embarrass him, like you did."

"I can tell." Lucy took the offered seat, favoring her with a gentle smile. "I'm glad to see you're on the mend Miss Martinez."

"Told you call me Gloria chica." The older woman gently poked Lucy. "And I'm glad to be on the mend. According to the doctors it was really touch and go at the beginning."

"Yeah, David, Jackie, and V passed along updates here and there to us. " The younger woman laughed, "David wouldn't stop smiling the day he got the update that your arms were back to functioning. He went off on some tangent about you probably being thankful that you'd still be able to cook."

"What? I like cooking." Her smile was slightly pained, "it was always a fun challenge seeing what I could make with the ingredients I had on hand."

"So you made a lot of stuff from scratch?" Lucy's head tilted just slightly, "was 'crazy bread' something you'd make from scratch? Or was that a box mix or?"

"David talks about my crazy bread?"

"Yeah, said it's his favorite food you make because it's never the same twice." There was a shy smile on Lucy's face. "I was hoping I could get your recipe and make some for him as a surprise."

"Oh sweetie," Gloria's eyes looked to her bedroom, then back to Lucy. Though it was just the two of them, Gloria lowered her voice. "Crazy bread is just something I came up with to help prevent David from worrying when we would run low on food. It's nothing more than bread with various toppings like oil, dried seasonings, and cheese product baked in the oven."

"So I could just throw a slice of cheese on a piece of bread, bake it and call it crazy bread."

"No...that's bubble cheese." A sad sigh escaped Gloria. "The ultimate struggle meal. One slice of the cheapest cheese product on a single slice of bread. Toss it in the oven and watch it bubble. Eat."

"You guys were...that bad off?" Lucy asked gently, resting a hand on Gloria's back in comfort.

"In the early days, after my parents had moved away. Gave them a lot of my money as a thank you for them helping me with David in the early years so that they could get out of Night City. But we got through it. "

Gloria heard the sound of a toilet flushing and willed her face into a smile as David returned. "So, why'd you run off to the bathroom?"

David let out a small huff. "Had to call a certain corpo bastard about why my comms were shut off."

"David, don't call your father that," Gloria shook her head. Had the camaraderie between father and son earlier just been an act to not upset her?

"Can I refer to him as the corpo cunt then?" Her son replied, mouth turned up into a smirk.

"David!" She hit him with the disappointed mom expression. "Your father is trying his best to be a part of our lives. Give him a little credit?"

"Fine, I'll give the suit a break." He sighed, "but that doesn't change the fact that he's got eighteen years of birthdays to make up for."

"You're only seventeen." Lucy raised an eyebrow, looking to Gloria for confirmation. She nodded.

"It's called interest." Both Lucy and Gloria just stared at him. "What? Just got done reviewing an economics course last night."

"That's what I like to hear. My boy focusing on his studies." Gloria shifted her gaze to Lucy, a finger raised in warning. "So you better not be distracting him young lady."

"Don't worry Gloria," Lucy smiled, hands held up before her in surrender. "I'll make sure David doesn't slack off in his studies."

"Yeah mom." David nodded, "in fact, Lucy talked about us having a study session tonight."

Gloria was certain she aggravated some injury or another as she fought to keep herself from bursting out laughing. Lucy had been right earlier, David was just too cute and innocent at times. She looked to the younger woman, noticing that Lucy also seemed to be struggling to keep her composure.

"M-mostly just me putting him through a mock exam before the midterm..." Lucy offered, face split in a wide grin.

"You don't have to lie to me. I know what happens at 'study sessions'." Gloria hit them both with a knowing smile, making David raise an eyebrow in confusion while Lucy giggled.

"Mom? Ugh...Mom!" David croaked out after a minute, eyes closing tightly as he realized what he had said while Lucy grabbed his arm to keep herself supported as a full on giggle fit hit her.

"David, look at me. You too Lucy." The older woman gently commanded, both sets of eyes falling on her. "I don't care what you two get up to in private. Or even if public provided it's not going to get you arrested or in trouble. Long as the two of you make each other happy, then I am content to see you together."

"Uh, thank you?" David still didn't look any less confused, and Gloria couldn't help but snort as he looked to Lucy for guidance.

"I think that's her way of saying she approves of our relationship." Lucy offered, making David let out a gasp of understanding as Gloria smiled and tapped at her nose. "Anyways, we probably should get going. Maine wanted everyone at Turbo's by noon and it's already quarter past eleven."

"That late?" David checked the time, "oh shit. Lost track of time." He looked over at his mother, who nodded in understanding. "Uh, sorry mom but I've gotta delta."

"No worries." Gloria pinched David's cheek as he leaned over and gave her a hug. "Just be careful out there, alright?"

"I will mom." He pulled away, "and don't worry. I'll come by again soon to visit."

"We both will." Lucy gave a nod and tried to leave, but Gloria opened her arms for a hug that the younger woman was powerless to ignore. "I'll let you know how the crazy bread comes out." She whispered so that only the two of them could hear.

"Please do. And keep an eye on him for me, will you?" She released Lucy and gently shooed her away as she nodded. "Stay safe kids."

Both of them called a final goodbye before taking their leave, leaving Gloria alone in her room. That didn't last as Nadia came in barely a minute later to ask Gloria what she might want for lunch. Though she knew she could ask for anything, her conversation with Lucy had left her wanting something nostalgic.

"Can you tell me what ingredients we have on hand?" She smiled as Nadia raised an eyebrow. "I feel like having some crazy bread."

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After David and Lucy had taken their leave, and Nadia had made her the healthiest crazy bread she had ever eaten (leading her to question how much was V paying for everything in the room to be organic or natural?) Gloria had decided to relax on the daybed and watch some TV. Currently, she was catching up on some missing episodes of 'Saigon Sisters' while Nadia was reading some book or another in the dining room.

"Miss Martinez?" A man's voice brought Gloria out of her watching, and she picked up the remote and paused the show. Looking to the door, she saw one of the Trauma doctors making his way into the room. "Forgive me for disturbing you, but I am Doctor Edward Weiss, chief of Cybernetic Augmentations."

"Pleasure to meet you." Gloria responded as Dr. Weiss took a seat at the computer and started to log in. "Though, I'm not sure why you're here. I have no cybernetics beyond my personal and basic EMP Threading."

"I know." He turned the monitor so that Gloria could see it clearly from her place on the daybed. "I'm here today because your body has healed enough to where we can proceed with the next stages of your treatment. Namely, the direction you wish to take it."

"That's...wonderful?" Gloria blinked, not quite sure how to interpret the doctor's words. She vaguely recalled discussing treatment options in her early days, and every now and then some doctor or nurse mentioned it. However, she never actually considered that the doctors and nurses would let her make some of the calls and thought they were only telling her everything they were considering. This was something she voice aloud, making the old man laugh.

"Unless the client is in no condition to make choices for themselves, we try to include them as much as reasonably possible in treatment options. Priority one for all package levels is making sure the client survives. Priority two is getting our client back on their feet in a way they're comfortable with, but options for that vary from package to package."

"And I've heard some say that my package allows for everything from basic augmentation to full conversion?"

"Correct. Now, while you do have quite a variety of options available thanks to your Platinum coverag-"

"Forgive me, but everyone keeps telling me I have a 'Platinum' plan but no one has told me what that entails exactly beyond 'covered for nearly everything' every time I've asked." The red-head's eyes went from the doctor, to her nurse, then back. "Is there any way I can see this plan or policy or whatever it is for myself before we discuss this?"

"That's because they didn't want to shock you. Says here you were unaware of your Trauma plan when you were first brought in?" Gloria nodded, "while it's not uncommon for secondaries to be unaware of what the plan their primary holds entails. It is rare that we get someone who doesn't know they have a plan, but from what I can see – you were added to Mister Linder's policy shortly before you were brought in."

Dr. Weiss saw the frown on Gloria's face. "And here, I can show you the details. You should be well enough to handle them."

Gloria let out a tiny hum of victory as he called up the details of her policy. True to what everyone had said, she could see V listed as the primary and her as the secondary. A lot of legal medical jargon followed, but there were a few key elements that Gloria could understand.

The first? What kinds of treatment and procedures were covered by the plan. This really did range from minor things like having an ingrown toenail removed, to the majors from heart surgery to body conversions. About the only thing not covered was cosmetic surgery unrelated to quality of life improvements.

Second. V had prepaid for the highest tier treatments available on his policy. She would never see a bill, and there was only a small chance that V would see one if there was any sort of complication that made the treatment cost more than the initial payments.

The third thing she understood was the most shocking. V had named her a full beneficiary on his policy. He had even gone as far as to list her as his emergency contact, and grant her medical power of attorney. Meaning that if shit goes wrong for V, and he's unable to make decisions, she has full authority to make the calls for him.

Her breath caught in her throat, a cough escaping her as the knowledge sunk in. The fact that V was trusting her with so much sent her blood pressure through the roof, and she started to hyperventilate to the point her biomonitor sounded the alarm. She could feel her chest tightening, still-healing ribs protesting at the sudden pressure. Everything in the room started to blur, and there was a pounding behind her eyes that refused to leave even when she closed them.

"Oh god...Oh shit..." She gasped out, eyes blinking rapidly as she tried to focus on something. Anything.

"Relax Miss Martinez." Dr. Weiss voice broke through the sound of her own blood rushing through her ears. Disconnected as she was, she recognized the feeling of a hand on her arm. Looking to her side, she noticed Nadia had taken a seat next to her, the other woman's breaths slow and deliberate as she gently rubbed Gloria's arm.

"Calm down. Match your breathing to mine..." The brunette coached, exaggerating her actions. "Even breaths. In, hold two three, release. In, hold two three, release."

A twitch that was half-nod, half-involuntary shudder escaped her as she struggled to comply. The first few breaths felt like she was being stabbed, and she let out a cry of pain that only added to her panic.

"That's normal, work through the pain." Dr. Weiss seemed to understand the meaning of her cry. "Every breath you take will lessen the pain. Just follow your nurse's lead."

"He's right. Take another breath and hold it this time? In, hold two three four five, release." Gloria complied, mentally repeating the command as she struggled through the pain. "That's it, slow and steady."

Gloria gave a much more conscious nod, attention mostly focused on matching Nadia while half-listening to Dr. Weiss as he manually took her vitals.

"You should take that as a compliment." Dr. Weiss gave a nod as he started to check her blood pressure. "Most suits don't trust anyone enough to grant them POA and instead write out overly detailed advanced directives."

"Y-yeah?" The red-head wasn't in disagreement with that statement. But for V to have that much faith in her after so much time apart? On top of everything else he and she were both dealing with?

"Yeah." There was a comforting smile on Nadia's face. "Should have seen the file for a suit I helped at one point. Though it was text only, it was thirty-two megabytes in size. Had they decided to print it? It probably would have been nearly a hundred pages long, not including the Trauma pages."

"I see...It's just...a little...much." She forced out, matching Nadia's breathing more and more as both nurse and doctor continued to talk to and comfort her. By her own estimates, it had taken somewhere between fifteen minutes to half an hour for her nerves to fully settle. Not that Dr. Weiss or Nadia seemed to mind, both seeming more concerned with her than anything else. The calmer she felt, the more she realized just how much V was willing to put into this, and he was doing so without protest.

Of course, that knowledge didn't stop her from having concerns over making her own medical decisions. Last thing she wanted was to screw over V's account and drop him to the same poverty level as her. Somehow, she was able to have these thoughts without returning to her panicked state. "Don't want to ruin his accounts, you know?"

"Understandable." Dr. Weiss agreed, voice holding no judgment as he pronounced her vitals steady. "As I said earlier, that's why were going to discuss the options that are available to you. Again, you have a multitude of options to choose from, but I would like to go over the two I feel would be best for you, if that's alright?"

"Sure..." Gloria made a motion for him to continue, thankful that she'd have another opinion to base her final choice off of. One that wouldn't have as much of an emotional response to the matter.

"First option is we replace only what's broken with the newest model cybernetics. You'd be looking at a pair of cyberlegs. A cybernetic left arm, though you might just want to replace the right as well to match. Syn-lungs, spinal support implant, and maybe ocular implants." He showed Gloria her x-rays and the areas he was talking about. "This is a middle of the road option and will let you maintain some level of being organic. Which I understand you've had concerns about when treatments have been discussed before?" She nodded. "Downside is that it requires more maintenance, and if anything goes wrong, you'll need to replace the parts over time."

"But that would get me back on my feet, right?" She looked down at her legs. "Much as I've enjoyed having a 'vacation' I'm not the kind of girl who can sit still for long, you know?"

"Oh yes, replacements of that level can be done in a day or two, and you'd be up and on your way another day after that tops. The same can be said if you go with the second option."

The doctor changed the screen they were looking at to one that Gloria recognized in an instant. "B is full body replacement options. This would-"

"Fully replace everything and make me brand new in a sense." She fixed the doctor with a bored gaze. "Give me the option of perkier tits, rounder ass, and to stay young, right?"

There was a sympathetic look on the doctor's face. "You've been talking to Nurse Kelley, haven't you?"

"A few times." Gloria laughed, slightly relieved to hear the doctor joining her in doing so.

"Right. Though Kelley only tends to talk about the benefits of a full conversion and not as much about the details of what this process would entail. In these cases, your spine, brain, and adrenal systems are transplanted into a fluid-filled support sack that's stabilized and heavily protected by a titanium skeleton and synthetic muscle systems. Apologies, some find these images a little disturbing to look at." The doctor showed Gloria some pictures of a person being prepared for a full conversion. She could see the brain and parts of the nervous system being suspended inside what looked to be a metal skeleton. Their locations lining up almost perfectly where they'd be in a 'ganic body. He showed her how the remaining organic parts were then connected to the synthetic parts via nanotech.

"This option is the most involved from the get-go, but has the benefit of requiring less maintenance over time." Dr. Weiss showed her another image that was part diagram, part timeline. "The integrating process takes anywhere from twenty-four to forty-eight hours to complete. Then recovery takes another three to four days as we check that everything's 'hooked up' okay and that your 'body' has accepted everything. However, once we're certain everything's taken, it's another day of observation before you're free to resume your normal life."

"So a short term set back for a long term gain?"

"Bit of a simplistic way to put it, but yes." The old doctor looked away from the screen, attention focused fully on her. "To sum it up; option A is quicker, but higher risk of complications down the line depending on various circumstances. There's also a fair bit of maintenance that you'll need to keep up on. Cleaning neural ports, software updates, and so on. Option B is slower and more involved at the beginning, but very low risk of complications once complete. Also, barring a major incident, you'd only need to see a doctor once a year for a check-up to make sure everything's running smoothly."

"All very good points...And I can understand why these are my best options." Gloria looked down at her hands, seeing the scars and callouses to litter them. Snippets of an old conversation coming back to her mind. "And I know there's a lot of variety and options with both of them. But I'm still on the fence about chroming up. So, while I think I know the answer, are there any options that don't require me to go full borg or gain a bunch of chrome?"

"Again Miss Martinez, you have the option of replacing only what's broken to end up with minimal chrome...But if you really want to remain unchipped, your only option is to continue to heal as you are now. Your body's natural ability to repair damage coupled with surgeries and implants, such as pins and plates as needed." Dr. Weiss showed her another set of images; these ones of people who had healed with similar injuries to her. Much as cosmetic surgery had progressed, she could occasionally pick up on the slight bow to a leg, or the odd angle of an arm. "While this method would allow you to remain chrome-free, it's likely to leave you crippled for the remainder of your natural life with chronic pain. Some days you might feel fine, but other days might make it impossible for you to function with any level or normalcy that you are used to." He gently tapped Gloria's left arm. "I'm sure that even with the painkillers, you can feel a discomfort in this arm when you move it, yes?"

Gloria flexed her arm a moment, nodding in agreement. "Yeah. But I don't know...it all seems like a lot. Not to mention, how much is all of this going to cost? And before you say it, I know its covered under the plan but..." She shrugged, realizing she was repeating herself.

"Of course. Give me a moment, and I can have that information for you." Dr. Weiss started typing.

The red-head gave a nod, head falling slightly so that she was staring blankly at the floor as she considered everything she had been told. Gloria knew V would have no issues in paying for whatever option she decided to go with. Hell, the man was so on board with it that he paid in advance for whatever she might need. Still, she felt that didn't give her carte blance to zero his accounts just to heal herself.

"And done. Sending the costs to you." Gloria heard the familiar ping in her head as the file was sent over. "Though these are just estimates, there's usually only a plus or minus three percent difference."

"Thank you." Her head remained bowed as she opened up the file and looked at the numbers. None of them were less than five digits (and that was with insurance) and she could feel herself starting to stress out again.

"Relax Miss Martinez..." She felt Nadia's hand on her back, gently rubbing it as the brunette once again encouraged her to breathe. Somehow, the touch was grounding and Gloria found herself able to continue reading in more detail.

She was surprised to see that staying chrome-free was actually more expensive to start with than chroming-up. Then again, it would be a lot more labor intensive to cut her open, attach pins and plates, and sew her back up. Versus cutting off her arm and replacing it entirely.

"Sometimes, it's just easier and cheaper to tear something down and build it back up again than trying to fix it." She could almost hear the advice her father gave her once when they had tried to repair the old shed at her parent's house. And it was true. Cheapest arm augment was around twelve-thousand eurodollars, while surgical treatment was sixteen-thousand...And that was for one arm only. Not to mention the costs of if she became unable to care for herself. Assisted living homes weren't cheap, and the same went for live-in nurses. And though she knew they would do so in a heartbeat, she wasn't about to ask David, V, or any of her family to put their lives on hold to care for her.

She looked at the cost of everything for going the route of chroming up. Dr. Weiss had given her prices for all options, with notes here and there saying what she could and couldn't go without...along with extras she could add. Taking just the bare minimum required cyberware of the cheapest quality gave her a cost in the low six digits for the initial act of chippin' in. What really got her however was the cost of additional maintenance, and her mouth fell open in surprise.

"What the...My monthly rent is, fuck..." Gloria was suddenly reminded that she technically was homeless. "Was higher than the yearly maintenance cost of my potential cyberware?"

"With insurance." There was a smile on the doctor's face, and Nadia looked to be holding back a giggle at the expression of indignant surprise Gloria was sporting. Closing her mouth, Gloria gave a tiny shrug and looked to the cost of the full body conversion options. Here, all the options were high six to low seven digit costs for the work upfront. The only things really altering the price being additional cyberware (such as mantis blades), and cosmetic choices like skinn, eye, and hair color. Here too, Gloria got to see that there were more options available to her when it came to full conversions beyond Nurse Kelley's pushing of the Gemini.

"MoorE technologies?" Gloria blinked, recalling an article she had read not too long ago. "Aren't they the ones behind Lizzy Wizzy's conversion?"

"They are. And they're also one of the companies we can work with should you choose to go that route." Dr. Weiss smiled, "downside to that, as I'm sure you can see, is they're a bit more pricey because they like to play the celebrity client angle."

"Typical." The red-head let out a tiny snort and continued reading. As expensive as full body conversions were upfront given the cost of parts, labor, and everything else. The additional maintenance was even less expensive, and required only once a year. Expensive as the option was to begin with, it worked out to being the cheapest in the long run.

"But do I really want to give up my humanity?" A sigh escaped Gloria as she once again studied herself. If she wanted any sort of quality of life, staying chrome-free was out of the question.

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After another half-hour's worth of talking with Dr. Weiss and Nadia, and wrestling with her own thoughts and feelings. Gloria had made a decision and signed the required paperwork to authorize her next round of treatment. Over the next few days, Dr. Weiss explained that they would be in communication with her over what she wanted versus what they felt would be appropriate for her. And that, within reason, she would have the final say on if something went through or not. Even with all that however, Gloria couldn't help but feel a sense of doubt and had started to second guess herself.

She was still sitting on the daybed, TV turned off and a radio turned on. Soft, classical music played softly, helping Gloria to calm her nerves as she nibbled on a cookie, a cup of chamomile tea on the coffee table before her. Nadia was sitting beside her, her own cup held in one hand as she rubbed soothing circles on Gloria's back with the other. The red-head's thoughts had fallen into a loop, and while she knew she was repeating herself, Gloria couldn't seem to stop.

"I mean, I know my options, but I just don't know if I made the right choice." Gloria couldn't seem to stop her hand from shaking, the cookie slowly being rendered into crumbs as she fidgeted with it.

"Ma'am, I can't tell you if your decision was right or wrong for you." The brunette took a sip of her tea. "You had to pick that which felt right for you."

"I know, but...I can't help but wonder what David's going to think. What V will say about it." She popped the remains of the cookie in her mouth and chewed slowly, thinking. "It's all so expensive and...I didn't ask him about any of it."

"Ma'am-"

"Gloria. I think if you're my personal nurse, you can call me by my name." Gloria picked up her cup, "besides, calling me ma'am makes me feel old."

"Apologies m- Gloria." Nadia let out a tiny huff of a laugh. "Anyhow, like I was saying. From what I've seen, I don't think V cares how much everything costs. I think he just wants to see you get better. As for your son? I think David's just happy that you're feeling better. Did you see how his eyes lit up seeing you at the table this morning?"

"I did. But that still doesn't change the fact that this is going to be a big change for him? Me? Us?" She set her cup down, eyes holding the full weight of her concern. "I didn't discuss this with either of them. What are they going to think? Is V going to be mad at me for not consulting him more? For spending so much money on my treatment? Is David going to call me a hypocrite for yelling at him for chroming up then doing so myself?"

"They'll be happy you're still with them, and will be for a long time." Nadia's tone was clinical, yet strangely warm. "Also, David's probably going to think it's cool. And V's just going to appreciate you getting better and doing something for yourself." She smiled, making Gloria frown. "Don't look at me like that. It's obvious that its been a long time since you've done anything nice for yourself."

"Hey, I take care of myself." And it was true. Before landing in the hospital Gloria had been eating a meal twice a day, and kept herself and her clothing clean.

"That's not what I mean." The brunette poked her arm. "I mean, when's the last time you treated yourself? Did something just for you that didn't involve or benefit David or anyone else in any way?"

Gloria opened her mouth to reply, but no sound came out. She wracked her brain, thinking of the last time she went shopping. She had bought David a couple new shirts and a new pair of jeans. There had been a nice pair of non-slip restaurant shoes that were just her size and perfect for her job that she almost bought, but instead bought David a new pair of sneakers as his were just slightly more worn than hers. Indeed, now that she really thought about it...The last time she had 'treated' herself was when she got her hair washed and cut by a professional following a particularly bad clean up after a fight between Sixth Street and Animals that left her hair caked with dirt, blood, and assorted viscera. And that was almost two years ago now.

"Point taken..." She grumbled, causing Nadia to let out an almost sympathetic sounding chuckle. "I mean, it's just hard. I've spent the last ten years, if not longer, of my life helping others. Doing things for others. My parents, David...I, I honestly feel guilty anytime I splurge and get something for myself. And this?" She gestured to herself, the hospital room. "This really isn't making me feel better as I know its all being done for me...And I can't do anything to stop it. Nor will I ever be able to pay V back for this..."

"Look, V wants to do this for you. If it helps you feel less guilty, consider all of this him making it up to you for not being there for you all those years."

"It's not his faul-"

"Nope. Don't care about the details." Nadia cut her off, reaching for a cookie as she sighed into her cup. "Look, you need to stop stressing out over this." She dipped the cookie in her tea and took a bite. "You're going to set your recovery back and they haven't even started yet."

"I know...But I can't help my emotions. And I don't I feel a hundred percent with my choice." A discontent grunt escaped her as she took another drink of tea. "Tell me Nadia. Did I really make the right choice?" Gloria turned her gaze onto Nadia, making the brunette sigh. Even if it was hollow, she just wanted somebody, anybody, to validate her decision.

"Gloria?" The brunette finished off her cookie. "Do you really want my honest opinion on the subject?"

"Please." Gloria hated the way her voice rose in desperation, but had to hear her answer.

"Yes." Nadia's tone was flat, giving nothing away.

"Care to elaborate?"

"No." Nadia smiled, "what? I'm a nurse, not a psychologist. All I can do is give my opinion. I can't-"

The brunette went silent, head turning to look at the door. Gloria followed her gaze, seeing two newcomers stepping into the room, but not moving beyond the threshold.

The older woman seemed unremarkable to Gloria's eyes, gray hair and eyes, and a moderate amount of cyberware. The woman beside her however? She actually had to duck slightly to make it under the doorframe. By Gloria's estimates, she was a good eight feet tall and composed of muscle and chrome. Her arms were nearly as wide as Gloria's legs, and there was no doubt in her mind that the woman could probably snap her in half like a toothpick. Looking at her chest, Gloria could see the ripple of muscles behind her breast, and her abs looked toned and chiseled enough to grind stone on. The legs supporting the borged out woman were massive, and Gloria felt certain that she could probably cause an earthquake just by jumping. The most striking feature of the borg however was the fact that her head seemed to have been replaced with a helmet that concealed her face from watchers.

She looked over at Nadia, who was now standing up and positioned protectively between herself and the two newcomers.

"Do you know these two?" The brunette's voice was steady, but commanding.

"No...Who are you?" Gloria replied, looking first to the older woman, then to the borg, then to Nadia.

Before either of the newcomers could speak, the brunette answered the questions.

"That's Rogue Amendiares, the Queen of Fixers. Beside her, Hildryn. An independent whose been working for Rogue in recent days."

"Correct." Rogue answered, and Gloria watched her move to take a step forward into the room. While the action seemed normal enough to Gloria, she guessed Nadia saw something she didn't. The nurse reached behind her back and pulled out an unseen pistol and held it before her, further shifting to shield Gloria from the pair. It looked like a brick, but Gloria had a feeling it could pack a punch. This action apparently didn't sit right with Hildryn, and the woman replied by reaching down to her side and drawing a vicious looking knife. The red-head half expected the borg to hold it before her in an offensive stance, so the sight of her just holding it at her side was unsettling.

Nadia wasn't phased, and Gloria let out a tiny gasp as her nurse slid a bulky bag that had rested beside the daybed over to Rogue's feet. The brunette pulled something from her pocket, a detonator Gloria realized, and showed it to the room before pressing and holding down the button. Pistol still aimed at the duo.

"Don't move, I let go of this button and you and your borg bodyguard get to see how much flak you can take at close range."

"Nadia, are you insane?" Gloria stood to the best of her ability, body demanding she at least try to move.

"Since when do Trauma nurses carry directional bombs with dead-switches?" Rogue questioned, glancing down at the bag.

"Agreed." The red-head nodded. She knew that members of Trauma were armed, but she didn't think it was to this caliber.

"Never said I'm employed by Trauma." There was a smirk on Nadia's face. "Besides, private sector always has better toys."

"What?" Confusion hit Gloria like a freight train. "Thought you were the nurse my Trauma plan gave me?"

"Yes, per your plan, I am your nurse. But I don't work for Trauma. Least, not anymore. " Nadia didn't break eye contact with Rogue or Hildryn, but her voice remained steady as she addressed Gloria. "And before you ask how I'm here. Trauma's Corporate Platinum Plan has a lot of abusable loopholes. It allows access to your assistants, personal nurse, and healthcare providers regardless of their affiliation with Trauma Team. And thanks to your overly protective input, I legally have all three titles. I can come and go from here as I please, and they can't do shit."

There was a smug smile on her nurse's face, but Gloria wasn't about to question it. She was too concerned over the stand off happening in her hospital room. Fortunately, Rogue seemed able to read the room and held up her hands in a gesture of truce.

"V must care a great deal about you if he's willing to go to such lengths to make sure you are taken care of." The older woman observed, making Gloria take a single step to the side, further putting herself behind Nadia. Rogue's casual use of V's name raised a red flag, and she saw Nadia adjust her grip on the pistol.

"H-How do you know V?" The red-head tried to take another step, but something inside her snapped and she let out a hiss of pain, right leg suddenly gripped by a crippling cramp. Using her remaining strength, Gloria pushed through the pain and shifted so she fell back onto the daybed. Her eyes flicked between Nadia and Rogue, seeing the two of them hold a wordless conversation with flicking eyes, nodding, and a single brief hand wave from Rogue. Hildryn holstered her knife, while Nadia did the same for her pistol, though the detonator remained firmly in her grasp.

"You okay Gloria?" Nadia asked, free hand patting her shoulder in a gesture of comfort.

"Just, my leg..." She hissed, doing her best to rub at the sore spot. "Felt like something snapped..."

"Sounds like you pulled something." Nadia replied, her free hand replacing Gloria's. "Hold on a second..." The brunette's occupied hand twitched and Gloria heard a faint beep as she did something with the detonator before looking at Rogue. "You've got five minutes to state your case. Gloria, let me get you something for the pain."

The detonator was placed on the coffee table with a gentle thud as the nurse moved over to one of the cabinets. Gloria couldn't help but notice that Nadia's eyes almost never left Rogue and Hildryn, even as she prepared a painkilling cocktail.

"To answer your question, I work with V. Least I do when he's not annoying me." Rogue answered, blowing a stray strand of hair out of her face.

"Is that even possible? Ow..." Gloria closed her eyes as another flare of pain hit as Nadia returned with a cup of pills and glass of water. The red-head knocked back the pills even as Nadia adjusted her so that she was reclining comfortably on the daybed.

"He has his moments." The fixer answered, the faintest hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth.

"Then why are you here, instead of working with him?" Nadia resumed her position between Gloria and Rogue. "Because I swear, if you're here to harm her to get to him..." The pistol had returned to Nadia's hand, while Hildryn now had her knife on full display. The vicious looking weapon almost seeming to glow with a toxic light, and Gloria saw her nurse's eyes narrow as she studied the blade. "That's an impressive piece to bring to a potential gun fight, what kind of knife is that?"

"Sharp. Custom." Hildryn replied, and Gloria couldn't help the small laugh to escape her despite the danger. The three other women looked at her, each seeming to wonder how she could be laughing at a time like this.

"Side effect of the medication?" Rogue asked, and Nadia shrugged, muttering that it shouldn't take affect that fast. "Anyways. I didn't come here to harm you or make enemies."

"So what? You've come to make friends instead?" The brunette still didn't seem to trust the older woman, a fact that was unsettling to Gloria.

"Think friend is too strong. Casual acquaintance might be better." Rogue took another step into the room. "You know, like that one coworker you see everyday and talk with but wouldn't actually hang out with after work."

"Ugh, Greg." Gloria rolled her eyes, the name said with heavy exasperation. "Understand you completely."

Nadia adjusted her grip. "And a call on the holo wouldn't have sufficed?"

"It would have, but curiosity got the better of me." The older woman shrugged, "is that so hard to believe?"

"Yes." The brunette answered, free hand picking up the detonator. "Careful, you've got one minute left."

The sight made Gloria frown. Sure, Nadia said this was the Queen of Fixers. And while Gloria wasn't certain, felt that might make Rogue one of the most powerful women in Night City. But did that really mean this woman was that much of a threat to her?"

"But why?" The red-head cut in. "Why me of all people that deal with V?"

"Because you've caught my interest." Rogue took another step forward, though neither Hildryn or Nadia moved. "Your suit's come to me a few times now for help for 'his family' – well, mostly for the kid. Though he did mention your troubles as well. That's what got me curious."

Gloria heard a long beep, followed by a click as Nadia once again adjusted the detonator. Whether she added time or shut it down was beyond the red-head's knowledge. "What information could Gloria have that you can't get from V?"

"More...Personal information that he won't tell me." Rogue answered after a moment, one hand motioning for Hildryn to put her knife away as Nadia did the same with her pistol. The fixer moved into the dining room area and grabbed one of the chairs, pulling it over so she could sit down as well.

"Like what?" Of all the answers, that was not one she had been expecting.

"As I said. V's come to me for help with his family." She felt Rogue's eyes studying her. "And while I'm certain he means you and your kid...Curious if you know anything about his, I suppose 'extended family' might be the best term?"

"And you think I know?" Gloria did her best to keep her expression level, the monitors connected to her body showed the full level of irritation she was feeling at the question. "Actually, even if I do know, why not ask him?"

"Because I know he won't tell me."

"And you think I will?"

"You seem like a nice woman. And I guarantee if I ask about that boy of yours, you'll talk my ear off." Rogue smiled, "thought you might do the same for your potential future in-laws...or ex-in-laws, however you want to look at them."

"First. Thank you for realizing that V and I aren't quite...yeah." Gloria halfheartedly returned the smile. "Second, yes. I could spend a good hour talking about my son, but I'll spare you that."

"And the rest of V's family?"

"Not exactly something he liked to talk about, and from what little I do remember him saying..." She closed her eyes, trying to recall the conversations. "On his dad's side? Grandpa was never in the picture, either ran out on the family or just wasn't there to begin with."

Rogue let out a noise that was half-grunt, half-laugh. "Like grandfather like grandson, eh?"

"Not even close." Gloria opened her eyes, meeting Rogue's own. "When we split? Found out from friends that V tried to get back in touch with me in the early days. Far as I know, his grandfather didn't do anything else beyond telling grandma to 'have a good night'."

The older woman gave a single, full bark of a laugh, mouth curved into an amused smile as she motioned for Gloria to continue.

"Anyhow, his parents were corpo to the core. V's dad basically molded him into a corporate drone, while his mother used him to get an in with some other corpo parents. Not sure about her side of the family." She let out a disgruntled huff, "don't even think they let V make any choice for himself unless it benefited them in some way."

Rogue's smile dimmed just slightly. "Guessing they didn't approve of you then?"

"That's putting it mildly." Gloria spat, mood instantly souring. "They hated me. Once they found out V had been running around with me. Their only goal became to drive me away from their would-be executive."

"And they succeeded?" The deliberate bluntness of Rogue's voice told her that the older woman already knew the answer.

"With flyin' colors." She growled out, even as she clutched at her chest from the memory. "I didn't want to leave, but it...it wasn't just myself I had to think about at that point." Her hands moved down to her stomach, and she heard Rogue hum as the older woman realized what she had implied.

"He didn't know?"

"Never got the chance to tell him." Her hands moved off her stomach, clenching into fists. "They knew, don't know how, but they knew."

"I see." Rogue pulled out a tablet, with a picture on display, a list of personal information beside it. "Must have been tough, raising a kid on your own?"

"Oh, I was never alone per say. D and me? Santo born. And my parents? Old school Mexican Catholic." Gloria paused, debating just how much she should be telling this stranger. "Family is everything, and even when they couldn't help me. They made sure I had a village to help me raise my son. My neighbor, who already had three of her own, babysat while I worked. Gave me a bunch of hand me down baby clothes too. And the old woman who lived across the street? Constantly bringing us home cooked meals."

"Sounds nice." Though Rogue seemed indifferent, Gloria felt she could detect a small amount of envy in the elder's voice.

"It was. Don't think we'd be where we are now if it wasn't for them." The red-head looked away, eyes blinking to hold back the tears she could feel threatening to fall at the nostalgia.

"Ah, now that brings up another question." Rogue tapped at the tablet a few times, before holding it out for Gloria to take. Before the red-head could even blink, Nadia had grabbed the tablet instead and studied it. "Relax. It's just a normal tablet that I've loaded a couple stills on. Curious if you might recognize the guy in them. He was killed in a traffic accident eighteen years ago. Fell into the street just in time for a passing disposal truck to crush his skull."

Instead of handing the tablet over right away, Nadia checked a few things on it. Letting out an affirmative hum after a few seconds, she handed the device over to Gloria. "Doesn't look like anyone I know."

Gloria accepted the tablet and looked down at the picture to dominate the display. The face that stared back at her was one she would never forget. Nor would she ever forget the things he said, or what he tried to do. She wanted to cross her arms around her stomach, feeling the phantom sting from a cut that had healed long ago. Heard the rush of a moving vehicle and an ugly, wet, crunching sound.

"Well?" Rogue's voice brought her out of the past and back to the present.

"Fuck off." Gloria glared at the older woman, tossing the tablet onto the coffee table between them. She didn't care that this woman worked with V. Didn't care about whatever connections she had. That day was still a wound that hadn't healed properly, and Gloria doubted that it ever would. By the way Rogue held her hands up in a gesture of both surrender and apology, Gloria knew she understood and had gotten the answer she sought.

"Forgive me." The older woman held her hands up in a gesture of both surrender and apology. "I didn't mean to upset."

"Well, you did." The red-head let out a huff, arms still crossed before her. She faked a yawn. "Now, starting to feel the effects of the meds. Might have to cut this meeting short, so if there's something else you want from me?"

Gloria knew it was a poor excuse, and she could tell the other three occupants of the room knew it. However, it seemed they were willing to play along, and the words had the desired effect.

"Then I won't beat around the bush. Aside from what you've already told me. I'm after is the genetic data of you, your son, and V. Tried to find it myself but you and your son don't seem to have full records." Rogue held up a cred chip, stopping the words on Gloria's lips. "Upfront offer for that data; there's a million and a half eddies on this chip. More than enough to pay for your treatment even on the more expensive Trauma plans."

The sight of that chip took some of the fight out of Gloria, and she found she couldn't take her eyes off it. There was more money on that piece of metal and plastic alone than she had made in the last twenty years. And here it was being offered up front to her in exchange for some information?

"And why do you want that data?" The red-head peeled her eyes away from the chip in favor of meeting Rogue's.

"Because your old input has some history that I want to confirm." Rogue met the challenge, "and I need your little family's med-data to prove the when where's of it."

Gloria knew there was a lot that one could do with that data. Hell, Gloria had risked her and David's health by having a midwife deliver him, something which allowed all but the most basic data to be kept out of official records. She opened her mouth to reply, but a real yawn escaped her.

"Excuse me." She sent an apologetic smile Rogue's way. "Think I need a nap...and some time to think about this."

"Of course. Pardon the pun, but sleep on it if you need to." The fixer stood up then. "You're welcome to call V if you wish and discuss this with him. I'll leave my information with your nurse, or you can get it from V, alright?"

"Sure." Gloria gave a nod, eyes closing just a moment too long.

"It was nice meeting you, and I hope to hear from you, no matter what you decide." Rogue replied, and Gloria opened her eyes in time to see her put the chair back where she got it from. "We'll leave you to rest now."

"Thank you, Rogue. I'll be in touch." With another yawn, Gloria made a tiny gesture of affirmation as Rogue and Hildryn took their leave. No sooner had the two vanished from her line of sight did Nadia swoop in to check her vitals. From what she could see on the screens and her biomonitor, her blood pressure had been all over the place. "Well?"

"You need to relax." The brunette answered flatly, though Gloria could see how wide her eyes were as she looked at her vitals. "Telling reception no more visitors for you today unless authorized by you, myself or V."

"Thought that was already the case?" The red-head scratched at her head, recalling how her and V had gone through the process of adding the rest of the crew to the 'approved' list of visitors after Gloria complained of being lonely and Becca wouldn't stop whining about wanting to see her.

Nadia checked something on the computer, a string of curses being muttered under her breath as she found the information she was looking for. "Shit. Somebody must've taken a bribe." She looked back at Gloria, "you comfortable enough there? Or would you rather rest in your room?"

"Sick of staring at those walls. Like to stay here a little if that's okay?" Gloria did her best to adjust herself on the daybed, letting out a tiny grunt of pain as she stretched out on the mattress. "Would you mind getting me an extra pillow or two?"

"Not at all." The nurse gave a nod and stepped away into the bedroom, returning a moment later with a couple pillows. With Nadia's help, Gloria adjusted the pillows around her head and shoulders. "Comfortable?"

"Yes." She snuggled into the pillows, enjoying the softness.

"Good. Now, if you don't need anything else?" Gloria shook her head, feeling content despite the recent events. "Then if you'll excuse me, think I have to go break a couple heads...I'll be back."

"Take your time." The red-head looked at her nurse, seeing Nadia take a moment to crack her knuckles before walking out the door. Alone with her thoughts now, Gloria made a noise of discontent and closed her eyes, trying to take Rogue's suggestion to sleep on it.

01010011 01100011 01100101 01101110 01100101 00100000 01000010 01110010 01100101 01100001 01101011

Gloria was unsure just how long she might have been out for, or even if she fell asleep as opposed to just spacing out. Either way, she was slow to come out of it and answer the call coming through on her holo.

["V?"]

["Nadia told me what happened."] There was a clinical coldness to V's voice that unsettled Gloria. Even when he was second-handedly chewing out David by telling her of his initial escapades with the crew, his voice had a touch of warmth. ["Are you okay?"]

["I'm okay."] She looked at the monitor on her wrist. ["My biomonitor is showing that my blood pressure's back to normal."]

["The monitor says you're fine...But how do you feel?"]

["Fine..."] Gloria could feel V's eyes on her, and could hear the unasked request for her to elaborate. ["Maybe just a little shaken up?"]

It wasn't a lie, she had been unsettled when Rogue was present. Felt uncomfortable at the sight of Hildryn with her knife. And was actually terrified of the sight of a bag of explosives so close to herself.

["About?"]

["It's just so...I, I don't know."] She stammered, ["I mean, thought Trauma had high security and was supposed to prevent these things from happening? And that Nadia was just a nurse they assigned me. Not some secret bodyguard?"]

She heard V let out a breath. ["Did Rogue hurt you? Threaten you?"]

Gloria rolled her eyes, trying not to feel annoyed at V ignoring her questions in favor of asking his own.

["No, she didn't threaten or hurt me."] And it was true, neither the fixer or her bodyguard had touched her. ["Said it was just a friendly visit, though Nadia didn't seem to agree with that. And after Nadia drew iron, so did the big lady, Hildryn I think? Who was accompanying Rogue."]

She heard the rush of air as V exhaled, something poisonous leaking into his tone. ["She brought Hildryn? Gloria, if it really was just a friendly visit. She'd have come alone and not brought along muscle."]

["But neither of them..."]

["Neither of them openly threatened you."] Again, she could feel V's exasperation. ["But the implications there. Tell me, if you didn't know me or Jackie, and both of us got into an elevator with you, would you not be just slightly intimidated?']

["I mean, if you're just standing there and ignoring me? Probably not but..."]

["But?"]

["But I might exit the elevator a little quicker than I otherwise would if my floor is before yours."] She admitted. In Night City, actions like that weren't exactly prejudice, just cautious.

["Exactly. That's what Rogue was trying for. Intimidation to get what she wanted. She's sending a message."] He paused, and Gloria found herself starting to feel anxious. The way he was speaking was putting her on edge again. ["Nadia said she asked about my family?"]

["Y-yeah. Said she wanted to meet me, and see why you were putting in so much effort for me."] Gloria didn't know why, but the lack of any sort of response from V made her feel compelled to continue. ["She asked me about your 'family'. Don't be mad, but I told her what little I remembered you telling me."] She told V virtually the same things she told Rogue, and again heard him let out a disgruntled growl. ["I'm sorry..."]

["I'm not mad at you."] It had been her hope that V's voice would have returned to normal at her honesty, but it now seemed harsher than ever. ["More pissed that Trauma has members who can be bribed like this. Also pissed that an antique is trying to stick her nose into business that isn't her concern. I get that she needs to show who's the boss, but she's crossing a very, very uncrossable line."]

["V? Vinny?"] The red-head squeaked out, feeling an odd sense of dread from the clinical tone of his voice. ["What's all this about?"]

["Know this might be hard for you, but don't worry about it."]V's voice had softened slightly, but it was still cold. That poison she noticed was still there. ["Its just business dealings."]

["Business dealings?"] A discontent murmur escaped her at his deflecting answer. ["That really narrows it down."]

["Gloria...I know you've done some back alley deals yourself."] The red-head flushed slightly at that, he wasn't wrong. ["So you should be able to accept that as an answer."]

["Fine, but I'm not satisfied with it."] She sniffed, ["Now you've got me wondering. Nadia said she's the Queen of Fixers, but does that really mean she's somebody important? I mean, she's coming to a nobody like me for information. Information that she could probably get from official sources for a fee...V? Should I be worried?"]

["You should be cautious."] He offered. ["Don't let her scare you, but keep your guard up. Rogue's got her bony fingers in more than one pie, but her touch has also soured many more."]

["Look, I get that it might have been an act, but she didn't seem all that bad?"]

["Rogue is such an ancient acidic bitch that her cunt probably taste like whiskey sour and police brutality."]

["V..."] Gloria narrowed her eyes, simultaneously rolling them as she did.

["What? It's true."]V answered with no hesitation. ["Almost surprised she didn't try to bribe or blackmail you to get information."]

By the slight change in his tone, Gloria knew V at least knew of the offer Rogue had given her. Whether Nadia gave him the full details or not was another story but-

["Actually, she did offer to pay me in exchange for our genetic data."]

["When you say 'our'?"]

["Myself, David..."] She paused, bracing herself for what V's reaction would be, ["and you."]

["My data?"]Gloria noted the slight amount of confusion in V's voice. ["Did she say why she wants it?"]

["Something about wanting to confirm some history you have?"] She offered, hearing a tiny hum come from V. ["Even offered me a million and a half eddies for it upfront. I don't get it V, why should she care about your history?"]

["I don't know what she's playing at."] V grunted. ["If it was me she's after, why's she want your data too? Almost surprised she didn't offer to pay you stay silent."]

["Uh...She actually said I could call and discuss this with you."]She rubbed the back of her neck. ["Didn't seem phased at the thought of you knowing about this."]

Silence met her ears, save for a soft intake of breath, the only indication the call hadn't disconnected. Though it had been years, she knew that meant V was thinking. Much as she had a few other questions, she felt it best to wait for him to reply.

["Gonna level with you on this Gloria."]V replied after a long exhale. ["The ball's in your court with this deal. Whatever Rogue might want my data for, really can't be worse than Arasaka. And they've got my data down to the marrow."]

["But my data?"]

["Your data is now part of Trauma's records...same for David's due to the DNA test they had to do between the three of us."] He answered. ["And while I know Trauma Team has bullshit security in place to protect the personal data of patients..."] She let out a tiny hum of a laugh, understanding the unspoken implication. ["Again, it's your call. Whatever you decide, I'll support you."]

V's voice almost sounded back to the familiar warmth she knew, something that reassured her as she considered the options. Gloria's first thought was to tell Rogue to fuck off, wash her hands of the situation. But the fact that the data was there for the taking, even though it would probably be bitchingly difficult for even a top team of runners. Meant that she could 'lose' that information, and have nothing to show for it.

She thought then about the amount of money Rogue was offering her in exchange for voluntarily giving up the data. Even a third of what Rogue was offering would be enough for her to live comfortably for the rest of her days, and leave her extra to help David (and possibly spoil any future grandchildren he might give her). The whole million and a half? The possibilities were endless. She could take a trip to visit her parents, and bring David and Lucy too. Could get a better apartment...maybe even a house somewhere!

"No Gloria. Save that money in case another situation like this arises." Her inner monologue chided her for thinking so selfishly. But there was a lot of sense in taking the money and stashing it away. There were dozens of things that could go wrong, and it made sense to have a safety net in case something happened to V. Thinking about V brought another idea to her mind, one that was so ridiculous that-

["Gloria? Why are you laughing?"]

["Sorry...Thought of something funny."] She wheezed, hearing him hum as he asked what. ["I take the money, and give it to you to pay you back for my treatment."]

["Not happening."] His reply was so bland, so deadpan that she started giggling again.

["Worth a shot."] She coughed, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. ["Anyhow, I want to take her up on that offer. Open a new account and put the money in as an emergency fund in case something else goes wrong."]

["If that's what you wish."] V's voice gave nothing away of his opinion of her choice, but there was no doubt in her mind that he was proud of her for having done so. ["Just going to ask one little favor."]

Gloria blinked, head tipping to the side. ["What's that?"]

["When you call her back to accept the offer, I'm in the room with you, and I get to sit in on the call."] It was a simple request, but one Gloria was thankful for. Asking for help was never her strong suit, and she had just as much difficulty accepting help. There was no doubt in her mind that V knew, remembered that fact, and that's why he invited himself to the party.

["I'll pencil you in."] She tried to match the earlier flatness of V's voice, and failed. ["So, when do you think I should call her?"]

["Wait a day or two. Make her have to keep your answer as a thought in her mind for awhile."] V answered, voice back to what she considered normal for him. ["Tell you what. Won't be able to swing back by the hospital until the day after tomorrow. What do you say to me ordering in some ramen, and we have a little celebratory dinner-date while sticking it to the queen."]

["I'd like that."] Gloria smiled, ["still remember what type I like?"]

["Block."] He replied flatly, ["but since that's not on the approved foods list..."] He laughed as she whined in semi-annoyance, ["you're just gonna have to settle for that really rich chicken ramen with the miso broth, scallions, egg and-"]

["Stop. Stop, you're making me hungry."] She whined, idly scratching at her stomach which let out a tiny growl in protest at the realization of a lack of food.

["Then ask Nadia to make or get you something."] Gloria could feel the smile in V's voice, ["anyhow, I've a meeting to get to, so I'll let you go so you can have dinner alright?"]

["Sure, talk to you later..."] she let a loving nostalgia flow into her voice, ["poser-boy."]

["Later firecracker."] He promised.